Leading 4-3 going into the bottom of the 8th inning, the Boston Red Sox bullpen allowed 7 runs in the 8th inning and fell to the Angels 10-4, Saturday night in California. With the loss, the Red Sox missed an opportunity to climb within 4.5 games of the wild card spot with a month to play.

Pitching shorthanded the Red Sox made it a bullpen game. Josh Taylor started and went 1 laborious inning, not allowing a run but throwing 31 pitches. Marcus Walden allowed 2 hits and 1 run, throwing 22 pitches. Brian Johnson went 4 innings, allowing 2 runs on 3 hits. Matt Barnes pitched a scoreless 7th. But the wheels fell off the bus, as Ryan Brasier was tagged for 6 runs on 5 hits in the 8th inning. Josh Smith came in to close out the 8th after Brasier could only get 2 outs, and ended up allowing a homer.

Offensively, the Red Sox had 9 hits. Mookie Betts continued to have a great series. A night after having 2 homers, Betts was 3-3 from the plate, with his 39th double of the season.

JD Martinez had 2 hits, including his 30th double of the season.

Xander Bogaerts hit his 47th double of the season, and Brock Holt had a double, his 12th.

September 1st is the day the rosters expand, so the Red Sox are expected to have some fresh arms in the bullpen for Sunday afternoon's game, as well as some bats on the bench.

David Price will come off the injured list to start for Boston. The pregame starts at 3:05 with the 1st pitch at 4:07.Hear this and every Red Sox  game on  AM 1370 WDEA in the Ellsworth and Bar Harbor area and The Rock 101.9 FM, WOZI in Presque Isle.

More From WDEA Ellsworth Maine